Oliver the Western Engine
Oliver the Western Engine is the 24th book in the Railway Series. It was written by the Rev. W. Awdry and illustrated by Gunvor and Peter Edwards. Stories Donald's Duck Duck is given a branchline. It runs to the Small Railway, where Duck's friends Rex, Bert and Mike work. Duck is very proud of the responsibility bestowed on his buffers, and talks endlessly about it that night. Donald is soon at the end of his tether,so makes quacking noises and tells Duck that he probably laid an egg. Duck,cross and insulted, decides to pay Donald out. Duck's fireman has a plan and they put it into action... Next morning, a white duckling pops out of Donald's water tank. Donald is aware that this is Duck's revenge for what he said. The duckling is tame, and she rides in Donald's tender for a while, until she gets off at a station, and has remained there ever since. Donald's driver and fireman, going for the last laugh, place a nest box, with an egg in it, under Duck's bunker, and in the morning, his crew find out. Duck surrenders and as for the duckling, she was named Dilly by the stationmaster, but everyone else knows her as Donald's duck. Resource and Sagacity Oliver has now been rescued and repaired, and so have Isabel the coach and Toad the brakevan. They start work on Duck's branchline. Oliver also receives a new coach, also rescued from scrap, called Dulcie. The big engines have heard about Oliver's daring adventures, and praise him, which, unfortunately, goes to his smoke box. Soon, he has to take some ballast trucks. The trucks are not happy, so they push him into a turntable well. Duck, Donald, Douglas and the Fat Controller speak sternly to Oliver, who is feeling very silly. Toad Stands By Oliver is back at work- and the trucks are teasing him. S.C . Ruffey, the ringleader of the trucks, makes up a song called Pop goes Old Ollie. Toad feels sorry for Oliver so he comes up with a plan. Duck is unsure at first, but he soon changes his mind when Oliver tells him that he has to put things right. With help from Toad, Oliver lines the worst trucks up and puts S.C. Ruffey behind him. The plan works even better than expected, as Oliver ends up pulling S.C. Ruffey apart. The Fat Controller arrives, and inspects S.C. Ruffey. He knows that S.C. Ruffey fell apart because of his poor design, but tells Oliver to keep this quiet. The trucks now know better than to mess with Oliver. Bulgy Bank Holiday has arrived, and so has a grumpy, rail- hating bus, whom Duck meets. Oliver tells Duck not to take "Bulgy" seriously. However, things get out of hand when Bulgy's friend arrives and soon, Duck and Oliver have fewer passengers. Later, Duck has to take his passengers home. He is approaching a bridge, when a man stops the train, and warns them that Bulgy is stuck under the bridge. The passengers were cross for being lied to, and ask Duck to take them home. The Great Western engine crosses the bridge, and takes the passengers home. Bulgy was forced to stay under the broken bridge until it was mended, but continued to tell lies and was soon turned into a henhouse. Category:Railway Series Books